Blogs and Commentary

Season-Ending Plays Not Defining Ones for Cortland's Kaminski,
Consul

If you're a fan of Division III lacrosse, you've probably seen
the video of the ending to the RIT-Cortland
game on Sunday. With the two teams battling in
overtime, RIT ran a quasi-hidden ball trick near the top of the box
between Taylor Wisman and Allister Warren that caught Cortland
goalie Mike Kaminski off guard and resulted in Warren burying a
14-yard shot to give the Tigers a 10-9 victory and a trip to
Philadelphia.

It was a brash gamble to be running in overtime, but it paid
off. It's tough, however, not to feel for Kaminski, who had his
superb collegiate career ended on the play. While it's a sequence
that he'll undoubtedly replay in his mind for some time, it's silly
to think that it somehow lessens what Kaminski achieved in his four
years at Cortland.

Kaminski played in 75 games, posting a record of 60-7, including
the last two seasons in when he was 39-2 and guided the Red Dragons
to the 2012 national championship game. These are not the
credentials of a player who has his career defined by one goofy
goal.

"They ran a flip play and it caught Mike off guard, but we're
talking about a guy who has won us a lot of games in his four years
here," said Cortland head coach Steve Beville. "A big reason we
were playing for a national championship last year was because of
him, as well as getting to the semifinals again this year. Give
credit to RIT for pulling it off, but it doesn't change what Mike
has accomplished in his career."

The game-winning goal wasn't the only freakish occurrence during
that game for Cortland. Earlier in overtime, Cortland was seemingly
in line to retain possession after a shot caromed off the helmet of
an RIT player and over the sideline. Cody Consul, an All-American
attackman who has been a rock for the Dragons, chased it down to
maintain possession. Alas, he stepped out of bounds before the ball
rolled over the line, resulting in the ball being awarded to RIT
for their finale.

It was a one-in-a-million type of play — not unlike
Warren's goal — but as any coach will tell you, those are the
small events that can determine a game. And like Kaminski, Consul's
gaffe isn't what should be remembered about the player, his season
or his career to date.

"He's a great kid and a great player, but those things happen,"
said Beville of Consul. "He's one of those players, like
[Kaminski], who has delivered for us so many times. It was a play I
know he'd like to have back, and I'm sure it will be motivating him
this summer."

We live in a "SportsCenter Top 10" age, when outstanding and
quirky videos are put online within hours after they happen for all
to ogle. Sometimes that can leave a lasting image about a player
that isn't representative of what he has done up until that point.
That is certainly the case with Cortland's finish against RIT.

"The ending of the game was crazy for sure, but we still had
four to five really good opportunities to win the game before those
plays took place," Beville said. "RIT found a way to get it done
and hats off to them."